B.C. ELECTION 2017: Eye on the Kelowna-Mission race for MLA

KELOWNA – The riding of Kelowna-Mission has voted Liberal every election since it was created and they'll be tough to beat again this year.

Two-term incumbent MLA Steve Thomson is up against a pair of first time politicians in NDP Harwinder Sandhu, a nurse from Vernon, and Rainer Wilkins, a small business owner who works in the wine industry.

• B.C. Liberal Candidate Steve Thomson was once a rugby-playing farmer
• B.C. NDP candidate Harwinder Sandhu says struggles brought her to politics
• B.C. Green candidate says running for MLA is the only thing that could get him to join Facebook

Thomson was first elected MLA for Kelowna-Mission in 2009 and re-elected in 2013 when he received 56 per cent of total votes cast and spent more than the other three candidates combined.

In 2009 he received almost 54 per cent of total votes cast, spending $74,868. His runner up, B.C. NDP candidate Tisha Kalmanovic, spent $21,149 for 26 per cent of votes.

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